Fun in the Northwoods

Yesterday, 9:25 pm

March 15, 2026, the 74th day of 2026 Snow Falling God is with us in all kinds of situations and all kinds of weather. In winter it is on our minds quite a bit, especially as the Spring approaches. ... View MoreMarch 15, 2026, the 74th day of 2026 Snow Falling God is with us in all kinds of situations and all kinds of weather. In winter it is on our minds quite a bit, especially as the Spring approaches. God understands this. It is not like He gets tired of hearing from His children about anything on our minds, even if we may be tired of asking for help with it again. Understanding that God has the power to change things, we pray. Knowing that He may not change things, we still pray. Whather the answer is yes or no, we want to put our request in. As far as weather goes, our preferences can be so far apart from one another that what one is bemoaning, another may be rejoicing in. Since I wrote about weather concerns yesterday, I figured I would write about how it turned out so far. Though we did get quite a bit of snow, it was not as bad as had been predicted. I cannot say that about everywhere the snow storm was predicted, but for us it was not so bad. Still a mess to clean up, but it was doable. Though it had stopped it aeems like we are not at an end to it yet. Until a while ago we had been having steady snowfall since it started some time last night, which means quite a bit of extra shoveling through the day to keep up with it. It could have been so much worse if it had been a heavier snow But since we have so many microclimates in our area, other places could have more and heavier snow. With such fine snow this morning white-outs had been quite a bit of an issue for those driving, besides the snowy and slippery roads. The temperature wasn't that bad, the wind was a bit of a pain, but it was not as strong as predicted. Tomorrow they are still predicting snow, but with colder temperatures. The 20's of today are expected to turn to teens tomorrow with single digits for the low. It will make it chillier to deal with more clean up if it does. Snowy weather matters more when we have to be out in it. Watching snow drifting down softly inside, from our window, wood stove warming our home, is beautiful. Trying to get to our destination in a vehicle, it is less pleasant. Today, we had a lot of work to do outside because of the snow, but we did not drive anywhere. We even watched church on live stream this morning for a change. Really it was typical Northwoods Winter weather, just not as welcomed by very many now. Stay strong! Stay connected to God in all things! NAN

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Nelani Nettrour

March 14, 2026 11:20 pm

March 14, 2026, the 73rd day of 2026 Daily Expectations Every day we start out with a certain amount of expectations. Except for special occassions, we are not usually expecting something amazing.... View MoreMarch 14, 2026, the 73rd day of 2026 Daily Expectations Every day we start out with a certain amount of expectations. Except for special occassions, we are not usually expecting something amazing. And except in certain situatiions we also are not expecting something horrible. It is usually a typical day, with typical plans carried out. And that is fine. We are usually releaved if nothing out of the ordinary happens. Then there are the weather predictions that may or may not affect our plans. The threat of bad weather can cause people to change plans, even if the bad weather never comes. And we may be caught off-guard by a shift in weather that no one really saw coming. This weekend has a severe weather advisory for snow and wind. But it wasn't expected to really kick up until tonight. So today was pretty nice out. We like to be prepared for winter weather anyway, but we got some extra shopping done, so we wouldn't have to deal with it, if the storm did come. Many others did the same thing. We won't know until we wake up, if it started and what it looks like. As of now the warning goes through Monday. If that came to pass it would be a mess. As usual there are many prayers going out. Quite a bit of those prayers are for mercy, so we do not get what is predicted. Also many prayers that the power does not go out. There are prayers for those who are traveling into the area and for those leaving it. Unpredictable weather makes a lot of changes in the timing of trips and return trips. And for those looking forward to the added snow...most of us can just sigh. Though there are less and less of them as the month progresses. Winter was pretty nice this year. We really were able to enjoy it. It was a nice balance for whatever your idea of winter was. But at this point most of us are ready for Winter to make its exit without turning around. We shall see what the new day brings. In all, our trust is in King Jesus, whatever the situation or the weather. Stay strong! Place the expectations of your day into the hands of Jesus! NAN

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Nelani Nettrour

March 13, 2026 11:42 pm

March 13, 2026, the 72nd day of 2026 Winter Weather Returns When the warm spell comes to break up the cold, melt some of the snow and dries up the roads, it is easy to forget that in the Northwoods ... View MoreMarch 13, 2026, the 72nd day of 2026 Winter Weather Returns When the warm spell comes to break up the cold, melt some of the snow and dries up the roads, it is easy to forget that in the Northwoods that is merely the winter thaw, not the beginning of Spring. Still, we cling to the idea of Spring until we must release it, and step back into winter. In the midst of dealing with the snow that isn't so welcome now, we remind ourselves once again that we are heading away from Winter and going towards Spring. We embrace that thought even as the snow falling all around makes a mockery of it. Wednesday we woke up to snow again, but only around 3 inches by us, though as usual there were places in the area that 6 or more inches. We take it is stride. Even while hoping for an early Spring, the reality usually catches up with us again with a dousing of winter weather. Today we had around 6 more inches and other places in the area had 11 inches or more. What a mess it was! But snow plows made quick work of it, so the roads were cleared again. It also helped that it wasn't very cold either, in the upper 20's to low 30's. Most of the snow came overnight, with a little more scattered snowfall throughout the day. That made it a bit easier to clean up before chores. I am thankful the kids do the shoveling. I have done it in the past when necessary, but am glad to have others willing to do it. There are so many paths around to the coops and yards to the wood shed etc. They all needed to be shoveled again, but not all needed to be done first thing, so that was a help. At this point it can feel like a waiting game. Most of the fun things of winter are over and the fun things in good weather have not yet begun. There is that lingering feeling of anticipation that was awakened in the thaw! And that anticipation makes us smile. It really won't be long now! Stay strong! Let the signs of Spring encourage you, even as the lingering Winter weather calls it into question. NAN

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Nelani Nettrour

March 12, 2026 7:11 pm

March 12, 2026, the 71st day of 2026 Encouragement It is way too easy to get discouraged if we put our trust in anything other than God.... View More

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Nelani Nettrour

March 11, 2026 9:34 pm

March 11, 2026, the 70th day of 2026 In the Middle of Things In the middle of things God moves. We may not see it or feel it, but He moves in the lives of His children.... View MoreMarch 11, 2026, the 70th day of 2026 In the Middle of Things In the middle of things God moves. We may not see it or feel it, but He moves in the lives of His children. And since God exists outside of time, those who will be His children, are His children. He knows our choices before we even make them. Anyone who has repented and surrendered to Jesus as their Lord and Master can look back and see that God was working in their lives, in many ways, through different times and situations. Before we took the path that would lead us to Jesus, it was already known by God. He had a part in the making of it after all. At one time we were not God's child. We were cut off from Him. We did not know that we would ever come to believe, but God did. And then with our decision to follow Jesus, becoming a new creation in Him, we became God's child. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.”' Romans 8:14-15 The process of becoming a child of God was beyond the natural way of things. But why should we expect ot to be otherwise? The whole process involves flesh and blood, the here and now, but is of eternal consequences. We may compare our life in Christ to something else we may understand better, but that description will always lack the fullness that it represents. We are dealing with the Creator God and His ways are so beyond our ways. “'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:8-11 I love all of Isaiah 55. But these verses give us a bit of the awe we should feel when we realize Who we are dealing with when we are speaking of God. Our Father is an awesome God! Stay strong! If you have not done so, seek Jesus, repent and completely surrender your life to Him and become a child of God! If you have already done so, rejoice in the God of your salvation! NAN

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Nelani Nettrour

March 10, 2026 5:53 pm

March 10, 2026, the 69th day of 2026 Zombie Sin Nature I starting writing about this a while back, but it didn't fit the post I was working on. That post had already gotten too long. So, I set thi... View MoreMarch 10, 2026, the 69th day of 2026 Zombie Sin Nature I starting writing about this a while back, but it didn't fit the post I was working on. That post had already gotten too long. So, I set this aside for the time. Since this is the time of the year where we start to think more about the death of Christ and what it means to u--who have become new creations in Christ, through repentance and surrendering our lives to Jesus as our Lord and Master, our King--I figured I would finish it. During the process of salvation when God makes a new creation of us, our old man, our sin nature was crucified and should not longer be ruling over us. But though it is dead, it can rear up its ugly head if we dwell on darkness, let bad moods control us, or in any way turn back to the ways of the flesh. Because of that I started calling it the Zombie Sin Nature, or the Zombie Nature. We are to put to death the sin nature in us, and yet while we live in this flesh, we must battle against it. For most of the unsaved, sin nature is their guiding force. It is not dead in them. It is alive and well. It will lead them down the part of destruction, but they won't seem that different from the rest of the crowd headed down the same path. They will not reek of death. But it is different for a Christian. For us, sin nature is a corpse. If it stays nailed to the cross, it will not corrupt us. But if we free it to reign again in us, it reigns as the living dead, a zombie nature. That is why a sinning Christian is so much worse than the unsaved going about their life. The carnal Christian will spiritually reek of death and decay, which should not be a part of any Christian's life. The zombie sin nature thrives in darkness and on darkness. It hates the light. So it will cause those led by such a nature to avoid the light, to avoid Christians, or to bad mouth them or try to corrupt them. "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:24-26 Though it may not feed on brains, like fictitious zombies do, it feeds on the lower and meaner thoughts and tendencies in us. Putting to death, nailing it to the cross, is not an act that we do just once--in repentance--but any time that evil zombie nature rises its ugly head. Pound those nails in deeper and draw closer to Jesus instead! "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him Who created him, where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:5-11 Here is another pretty good list od some of the things that the Zombie Sin Nature thrives on, the works of the flesh. "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21 If we hold the old man close to our heart, refusing to walk the way of righteousness, that sin nature will corrupt us. It is like holding the decaying, putrid, body of the walking dead zombie, next to our heart, breathing in its stench and having it permeate our very essence. Only a fool would think they could remain untouched by that rot! "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:17-24 The Zombie sin nature will become stronger when we feed it those things by dwelling on such things, or worst of all, by giving into, and doing those things. Christians are redeemed sinners. We still need to battle against sin nature. The difference in any of us who are victorious is that we don't give into sin nature, we battle it. We are vigilant and watchful for any signs of corruption in us. And when we find it trying to rise in us, we pound those nails tighter into its ugly corpse. There is a difference between being human, with human limitations, and giving into sin nature--the nature corrupted in the fall. We need to take care of ourselves, of our bodies and our health, but we do not let our vile, old man, our zombie sin nature, have sway in our lives. We cannot be soft on our own sin nature or give it any leeway in our life. We need to see it for what it is and have no mercy with it! If we have been saved, having repented and surrendered our lives fully to Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Master, our Saviour, we are a new creation. But we carry with us the remanents of the old man, the sinful, selfish, obnoxious man. We are to pound those nails back down when it tries to free itself. And to put it back to death as many times as it takes until Jesus returns or calls us home! Stay strong! Be led by the Spirit, not your Zombie Sin Nature! NAN

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